Ford has completely redesigned the Explorer for the 2020 model year in the quest to surpass its many talented and popular rivals. One of those rivals is the third-gen Honda Pilot that has been around in its current form since 2016 and recently facelifted for the 2019 model year. Both models are popular, but now that the new Ford is out, is a mere facelift enough to keep the Honda up to date and competitive?

The latest Explorer changes the previous model’s formula a bit through the fact that its platform is now rear-wheel-drive biased. It is also lighter than before, offers better performance, better fuel economy, and Ford is even going to make a hot ST version of it. Honda’s Pilot refresh brought with it more aggressive exterior styling, new tech (especially on the safety front, with the full Honda Sensing suite), but no new engines – only one non-turbo V-6 is offered.